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As we plan to take full advantage of this enormous opportunity for our community, some questions have inevitably arisen, many of them on the impact to town and the broader region on the day of the debate. We don’t have all the answers to those questions yet, but be assured we are working with town officials to minimize inconvenience. We’ll communicate regularly as a more complete picture of the event takes shape this summer.
We’ve also fielded other questions about how local businesses can best prepare for the debate. Here are a few suggestions:
- Business owners are welcome to promote the debate on printed material, information on your website or on your merchandise. We have developed an extensive library of debate graphics, which can be downloaded and used here. In addition, we encourage you to display debate decals on your storefronts.
- The debate will be a big boost to local businesses. One study of a past debate site estimated that hosting translated to more than $10 million in direct economic impact, and while we can expect our town to be busy for a few days, we’re taking a long-term approach, using the debate as a catalyst for economic development in the region.
- We certainly encourage local businesses, particularly those near campus that might attract visitors, to remain open on Sunday, October 2nd. We certainly hope and expect many visitors to be in town as soon as Sunday, and a vibrant, busy atmosphere in town is a big part of the story we’re all trying to tell about Farmville.
- The best way to stay on top of news about the debate in the months ahead is to sign up for regular email updates on our debate homepage.
- The most helpful thing you can do for the debate is something civic-minded Farmville business owners already know well – simply be a friendly and welcoming host to visitors. That, as much as anything, will reinforce the story we are trying to tell about our community.
